HVAC Technician

Bennington College seeks to hire an HVAC Technician to join the Buildings and Grounds facilities team. The HVAC Technician is responsible for all HVAC and refrigeration functions that support facility operations. The position provides services to all campus constituents and is, therefore, a highly visible representative of facilities management, responsible for providing a superior and positive customer experience that encourages pride in and use of campus facilities.


This position works full-time, year-round. The hourly rate of pay is $34.00.

Schedule (40 hours/week):

• Monday through Friday 7:00 am-3:30 pm

The College offers a comprehensive benefits program that includes generous paid time off benefits, health insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, short-term disability coverage, and a retirement plan with employer match. The College also offers educational benefits for the employee, spouse/partner, and dependents.


Qualifications

1. High School graduate or GED equivalent and a minimum of five (5) years of related HVAC experience required; EPA Section 608 Certification required. Incumbent must fulfill any continuing education training or instruction required by the State of Vermont to keep required licenses or certifications in good standing.
2. Valid/current driver's license required.
3. Successful completion of the College's annual Hazardous Communication Training Program. Ability to understand the proper use of chemicals used in the performance of position duties and maintain familiarity with the chemicals' material safety data sheets. Required attendance and successful completion/passing of College-sponsored classes and seminars determined by the College.
4. Exceptional customer service skills; demonstrated experience interacting and developing relationships with internal customers. Demonstrated ability to multitask, respond to requests with a sense of urgency, and complete work orders in a timely manner.
5. Language Skills: Ability to comprehend and follow oral and written instructions, procedures, correspondence, and memos. Ability to write correspondence. Ability to give full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, and asking questions as appropriate.
6. Math Skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure and inventory, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals to solve problems.
7. Reasoning Ability: Ability to use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems; considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions and discussing ideas with a supervisor. Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.

Demonstrable working knowledge and a minimum of one (1) year of experience with:

• Hot Water/Chilled Water Closed-loop maintenance
• Chiller Maintenance
• Heat pumps
• Computer Basics (BMS system)
• Plumbing/Pipefitting
• Boiler Controls
• HVAC Controls-pneumatic/electronic
• Compressor Maintenance
• Steam Distribution Maintenance
• Geothermal

All offers of employment are contingent on successful completion and acceptable results of a background check.


Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

1. Performing assigned work orders regarding the installation and maintenance of the College's HVAC equipment
2. Inspect, adjust, repair, and replace parts in chillers, pumps, motors, VAV boxes, and controls (thermostats, relays).
3. Installing and maintaining Heat Pumps throughout campus.
4. Handle refrigerants, service refrigeration units, and maintain refrigerant records.
5. Changing air filters on campus.
6. Accept, review, and prioritize work orders and manage orders through completion. Notify supervisor of discrepancies/problems with work orders, including any observation of hazardous materials or conditions.
7. Operate assigned vehicles as required to assist with the transport of goods to designated areas and/or to facilitate the execution of job functions. Report any mechanical defects in the vehicle to the Systems Manager.
8. Maintain proper care of tools and equipment. Report necessary equipment repair and maintenance to the supervisor in a timely manner.
9. Follow established safety rules and regulations, including using appropriate guards and safety devices on all equipment. Maintain a safe and clean work environment. Keep informed of all material safety data sheets. Attend College-sponsored safety classes and seminars.
10. Promote a positive and congenial atmosphere and working relationship with students, employees, supervisors and other individuals that this position may come in contact with. Work effectively with other personnel to complete/coordinate designated duties.
11. Use proper judgment in work assignments on a daily basis and recommend improvements in work efficiency. Effectively manage own time.
12. Perform additional related duties as assigned.

Bennington serves a diverse student population inclusive of members of ethnically/racially minoritized, international, LGBTQIA+, and disability communities, as well as diverse gender identities, socioeconomic backgrounds, religions, and political beliefs. Our staff and faculty also reflect diverse and intersecting backgrounds and identities. All employees are expected to be respectful and responsive to these differences in the service of building a community that promotes student and employee success and community cohesiveness. Each individual (faculty, staff and students) will be accountable for upholding these values. The College's approach to pluralism and inclusivity-both as fields of inquiry and practice-is to prioritize flexible thought, and to invite the examination of access, value, power, and privilege through its institutional policies and areas of study. We encourage applicants from diverse realms of interest, backgrounds, experience, and accomplishment to apply.

The College

Bennington College is a small residential liberal arts college in southern Vermont, long distinguished for its progressive approach to higher education. The College was founded in 1932 on the principle of active engagement in learning, which is manifest in individualized plans of study developed by students together with faculty. We serve a diverse student population, and our faculty and staff also reflect diverse backgrounds and identities. Our aim is to educate students towards self-fulfillment and constructive social purposes, and we believe that equity, diversity, and inclusivity--in community and in curriculum--are vital to achieving those aims.

Nestled at the foot of the Green Mountains in Vermont, the campus consists of approximately 370 acres. The College was named one of ten with the best architecture by Architectural Digest. From campus, it is a short drive to the cultural offerings of the northern Berkshires in Massachusetts, Albany, New York, and many of Vermont's top recreational centers. New York City, Boston, and Burlington, Vermont are all within three and a half hours by car.